Retractable eyelash comb

ABSTRACT

An eyelash comb is described, comprising a handle portion configured to define a hollow interior. An elongate arm is provided having a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of tines extending perpendicular to the arm from the distal end of the arm. The arm is slideable within the handle and is configured to have a first position in which the tines are withdrawn into the handle, and a second position in which the tines extend outside the handle.

FIELD OF ART

The present invention relates to eyelash combs, and specifically toeyelash combs that require safety features.

BACKGROUND

Combs of all kinds have been used for many years, and different types ofcombs have been developed to meet various requirements and purposes.

In recent years, combs have been developed for the purpose of brushinghuman eyelashes. These combs are configured to meet the specificproperties and dimensions of the human eyelash, which frequentlyrequires a series of very stiff and narrow tines, spaced apart with anarrow separation, that have sharp points to facilitate insertion of theindividual tines between individual eyelashes. In order to meet theserequirements, manufacturers of such combs have resorted to configuringan eyelash comb to have a single row of closely spaced sharp-pointedtines made of a non-corrosive metal such as steel or brass, and platedwith gold or other suitable metal. While this configuration satisfiesthe need of a comb suitable for separating and straightening eylashes,it has introduced a disadvantage in that the tines of such a combpresent and number of problems. First, it presents an annoying danger toa user who may accidentally prick her fingers when inserting her handinto a handbag or vanity bag to retrieve the comb. Secondly, due totheir narrow diameter and metallic composition, the tines aresusceptible to being bent and/or permanently damaged when accidentallybumped or dropped by a user. Third, due to their close spacing, thetines are susceptible to collecting dirt or other debris from theatmosphere or other surrounding surfaces.

Thus there is a need in the art to provide an eyelash comb capable ofovercoming problems in the prior art. The present invention overcomesthese and other problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment, the invention is an eyelash comb comprising ahandle portion configured to define a hollow interior portion. Anelongate arm is provided having a proximal end and a distal end. Aplurality of tines extends perpendicular to the arm from the distal endof the arm. The arm is slideable within the handle and is configured tohave a first position in which the tines are withdrawn into the handle,and a second position in which the tines extend outside the handle.

In a preferred aspect of the invention, the handle of the eyelash combincludes a slot and the arm includes a knob, the knob being configuredto extend from the slot to the exterior of the handle so that a user mayapply a sliding force to the arm for extending the arm from orretracting the arm into the housing. In a further preferred aspect ofthe invention, the tines are formed from steel or brass, and each tineincludes a pointed end sized to separate one human eyelash from another.A further aspect includes that the arm defines a receptacle and thetines are potted into a block of plastic material. The block is sized tomate with and fit into the receptacle such that the arm and the tinesare rigidly connected together and move in unison in relation to thehandle. Furthermore, the block and the receptacle are configured todefine mating detents configured to hold the block stationary inrelation to the arm.

In preferred aspects of the invention relating to the handle, the handlecomprises a left side portion and a right side portion, the sideportions being configured to be joined to each other to define aninterior space for receiving the arm. In this configuration, at leastone of the side portions defines a pair of parallel rails for guidingsliding motion of the arm in relation to the handle. Further, at leastone of the side portions and the arm define mating detents fortemporarily holding the arm in a stationary position when the arm is inthe extended position and when the arm is in the retracted position.

These and other advantages of the invention will become apparent whenread in conjunction with the drawings and the detailed description ofthe preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the eyelash comb having features ofthe present invention showing the comb in an extended condition.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, showingthe comb in a retracted condition.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, shown in an extendedcondition.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, shown in a retractedcondition.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, shown an extendedcondition.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, shown in aretracted condition.

FIG. 7 is a disassembled view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, shown in anextended condition.

FIG. 8 is a disassembled view of the eyelash comb of FIG. 1, shown in aretracted condition.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of the arm of the comb of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the arm of FIG. 9, shown in a partial cutaway.

FIG. 11 is a disassembled view of the arm of FIG. 9, shown in a partialcutaway.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the comb, showing advantageousfeatures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings, an eyelash comb is described havingfeatures of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, an eyelashcomb, generally identified herein by the reference numeral 10, includesa handle portion 12 which is configured to define within it a hollowspace which acts as a housing. The handle portion 12 is preferablyformed from a left side portion 14 and a right side portion 16 (seen inseparated condition in FIGS. 7 and 8) which are shaped to fit totogether to provide a handle suitable for a user to securely hold ontowhen manipulating the eyelash comb in use. The two sides 14, 16 arepreferably formed by molding from a plastic material and may be snap fittogether, or glued together by a suitable adhesive, or may be joinedtogether by heat welding. FIGS. 7 and 8 indicate, with hatching,surfaces of the left 14 and right 16 side portions that may be connectedto each other when the handle 12 is assembled.

Next, an elongate retractable arm 18 having a proximal end 20 and adistal end 22 is provided for securely holding tines 24 that extendperpendicularly from the distal end of the arm. The arm is preferablyformed from a single piece of molded plastic. In a preferred aspect, inorder to facilitate assembly of the arm, the tines 24 may be potted intoa block 26 of plastic material shaped to be just large enough to receiveone end of the tines. The term “potting” will be understood by those ofordinary skill in the art to mean capturing the tines in plastic whilethe plastic is in a liquid state, then waiting for the plastic to hardenaround the tines. The tines, thus embedded in the block 26, are theneasily collectively handled. During assembly of the comb, the block 26with its embedded tines may be manually inserted into a recess 28 at thedistal end of the arm 18. The recess is shaped to precisely receive theblock. Preferably, mating detents 30, 32 are provided on the interior ofthe recess and on the exterior of the block respectively so that, oncethe block is installed in the recess, the block is held securely by thearm. An additional preferred feature of the arm is a protruding knob 34attached to and extending upwardly from the proximal end 20 of the arm.The knob is configured to extend to the outside of the handle 12 througha slot 40 in the handle when the comb is assembled, in order to give auser detailed manual control over the arm as described more fully below.

Yet another advantageous feature of the comb is exemplified withreference to FIG. 12. The handle 12 is specially shaped to have a distalportion 50 having parallel upper and lower surfaces that are separatedby a distance, shown as D1, which is preferably between 18 mm and 22 mm.The handle has a proximal portion 52 having parallel upper and lowersurfaces that are separated by a distance, shown as D2, which ispreferably between 9 mm and 11 mm. The step down in size between thedistal portion and the proximal portion provides the user with anergonomic shape that allows fingers of the user to comfortably fitaround and grasp the handle 12 while being used for brushing eyelashes.

Assembly of the comb may take place as follows. First, the tines 24 arepotted in the block 26 so that the tines extend perpendicular to theblock. Next, the block is inserted in the recess 28 of the arm 18 sothat the tines act in unison with the arm. Then, the arm is installed onone side portion of the handle. As seen in FIG. 8, at least one of theleft side portion 14 or right side portion 16 of the handle is providedwith a set of parallel linear rails 36, 37 to guide the arm and providethe arm with linear motion with respect to the handle. Once the arm isinstalled on one of the side portions, the other side portion ispositioned so that the two side portions are mated together, whereafterthe side portions are joined together to capture the arm within thehandle. In this final configuration, the resulting handle defines anaperture 38 in the distal end of the handle to permit the arm to beextended from and retracted into the handle. Additionally, the handledefines an elongate slot 40 on an upper surface of the handle, to permitthe user, by applying a sliding force to the knob, to slide the knobdistally and proximally along the handle and thereby to extend the armfrom and retract the arm into the handle. In another preferred aspect,the arm and an interior surface of a side portion include mating detents42 and 44 a, 44 b so that the arm may be temporarily held at either thedistal or proximal extremity of its travel within the handle. The detent42 on the arm advantageously has the form of a projection that rides inan elongated groove 45 on the interior surface of at least one of theside portions, located between and parallel to the linear rails 36, 37.The groove terminates short of the mating detents 44 a, 44 b, so thatpositive force is required to cause the detent 42 to disengage thegroove 45 and snap into one of the mating detents 44 a, 44 b to lock thearm 18 in the extended or retracted postion. The mating detents 44 a, 44b are preferably in the form of depressions on the interior surface ofthe side portion.

In use of the eyelash comb, the user is able to safely extract theeyelash comb 10 from her handbag while the arm is in the retractedcondition (FIGS. 2, 4 and 8), thereby avoiding the risk of accidentallypricking her finger on the sharp metal tines. Having achieved a stablegrip on the handle 12, the user applies a distal sliding force to theknob 34 with a finger or thumb, thereby causing the arm and the tines toextend distally from the handle. The mating detents on the arm andinside the handle temporarily restrain the arm from sliding back intothe handle. Having used the eyelash comb for its intended purpose, theuser may then apply a proximal sliding force to the knob, therebycausing the arm and the tines to retract back into the handle. Themating detents on the arm and handle restrain the arm from sliding outof the handle when the comb is under typical conditions of being jostledaround inside the user's handbag.

Thus there is described a new and useful eyelash comb that includes auseful safety feature and protection feature, is capable of beingreduced in size to fit within the available space of a vanity bag, andwhich is robust and economical to manufacture. The present inventionmay, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those hereinset forth without departing from the essential characteristics of theinvention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered inall respects as illustrative and not restrictive, while the scope of theinvention is set forth in the claims that follow.

1. An eyelash comb comprising: a handle portion configured to define ahollow interior; an elongate arm having a proximal end and a distal end;and a plurality of tines extending perpendicular to the arm from thedistal end of the arm; wherein the arm is slidably disposed within thehandle and is configured to have a fully retracted position in which thearm and tines are withdrawn into the handle, and a fully extendedposition in which the arm and tines extend distally outside the handlewith the tines in alignment with the handle.
 2. The eyelash comb ofclaim 1, wherein the handle includes a slot and the arm includes a knob,the knob being configured to extend from the slot to the exterior of thehandle, whereby a user may apply a sliding force to the arm forextending the arm from or retracting the arm into the housing.
 3. Theeyelash comb of claim 1, wherein the tines are formed from metal, andeach tine includes a pointed end sized to separate one human eyelashfrom another.
 4. The eyelash comb of claim 1, wherein the arm defines areceptacle and the tines are potted into a block of plastic material,and wherein the block is sized to mate with and fit into the receptaclesuch that the arm and the tines are rigidly connected together and movein unison in relation to the handle.
 5. The eyelash comb of claim 4,wherein the block and the receptacle define mating detents configured tohold the block stationary in relation to the arm.
 6. The eyelash comb ofclaim 2, wherein the handle comprises a left side portion and a rightside portion, the side portions being configured to be joined to eachother to define an interior space for receiving the arm.
 7. The eyelashcomb of claim 6, wherein at least one of the side portions defines apair of parallel rails for guiding sliding motion of the arm in relationto the handle.
 8. The eyelash comb of claim 6, wherein at least one ofthe side portions and the arm define mating detents for temporarilyholding the arm in a stationary position when the arm is in the fullyextended position and when the arm is in the fully retracted position.9. The eyelash comb of claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to havea distal portion having parallel upper and lower surfaces that areseparated by a first distance between 18 mm and 22 mm, and a proximalportion having parallel upper and lower surfaces that are separated by asecond distance between 9 mm and 11 mm.
 10. The eyelash comb of claim 1,wherein the handle is configured to have a proximal portion and a distalportion, with a first chamber extending through the proximal and distalportions for receiving the arm when the arm is in the fully retractedposition, and a second adjacent chamber in the distal portionterminating short of the proximal portion for receiving the tines whenthe arm is in the fully retracted position.
 11. The eyelash comb ofclaim 10, wherein the proximal and distal portions of handle havegenerally rectangular cross sectional shapes.